you and me

this is a blog about me. and you.

Friday, July 28, 2006

less than 2 weeks until i leave.




































but i have to admit, thought grudgingly, madison has grown on me.

















i didnt want it to, and i tried to resist - but last week brunch at sophia's was like the old west side. i felt like it was a city i could actually live in.

















then to go swimming in lake mendota was well worth it, even if it was cold.
















then cooking a big dinner and watching a movie called 'the god of cookery'. apparently i was so engrossed in the film that my friend took half a dozen pictures of me before i realized what was going on.




















thus demonstrating how powerful this film is.
also, there have been some big rainstorms goin on.






















the better to study to.





















im also working on a shadow puppet show to go up my last week here. we were not able to get access to the gamelan at the university here,
















so we went to the salvation army and made our own.






















check back for some sound recordings/pictures.
















and this last one is for all you mac and cheese heads out there - you know who you are. ian's pizza here in madison has your ultimate slice - the mac and cheese slice. my sister almost got it today (you know how it is when youre on vacation). but she didnt. so i cant tell you how it is. but take a look and dream of that smooth american pasturized taste....

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

this ones quick. but i felt like i was sort of reaching with the entry a few days ago, so i had to make up for it.
new favorite thing: Sholat Kulo, this song by a group with the name "Mamiek Melani & Keluarga" (Keluarga = family in Indo). Islam contempo pop. Think of those Christian pop bands. But about allah. And with kids.(Thanks Dorcinda for the info!)
it could almost be reggae, couldnt it?

Monday, July 17, 2006

no way. i got over some hurdle last week, am now feeling like this class is less kicking my ass.
i think sometimes i just get stressed out when i cant quite get it, like ive somehow made some kind of wrong decision in the long run
















but then i realize that whatever decision i make i can always change my mind.
















also, went to see that film, scanner darkly. thought it would be a vehicle to make fun of kan you keanu. but it was actually quite sad. strangely sad.

















while there i thought i saw my friend eric who i have not seen in a couple years. but he couldnt be in madison. could he?
















we always want to know whats going to happen next. what a timely question. thats been around forever.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

i have been trying to write about complex things in a language that i only have a simple understanding of. i want to get to the heart of the issues, but its the form, not the content of what im saying, that always seems to keep slipping away from me.




























there are some words though that make complete sense.
cooking = memasak
(by the way, i found THE BEST egg sandwich in all of madison last weekend.
it is made at this store,




























which is no bigger than 4ft x 5ft on the inside, so everything is made to go - you can get it either wrapped in foil or put in a bag. it is totally new york style egg sandwich.
















and so is the window above the storefront. not sure what its connected to though - i looked to see if it was part of another store, someone's apartment, what, but it just looks like its its own jam. a drum kit, ready to ramble on...)




























ketakutan = fears, phobias
(ive been feeling sick lately. but nothing specific, just general malaise. my hands are dry. i am tired of spending time with paper. but i want to get this. i am trying to cram this physical data into my mental space and its not translating.)
















i think i keep forgetting that its not the literal translation of things that so important, its getting the gist of it thats for the now. (exactly.)
such as the lovely
kuku-kuku kaki-kaki kakak kakekku kaku-kaku = my younger sibling has very straight toenails.
who would think about such things? i think thats why theres all those ku's and ka's in there, to make you realize that its not really a high priority.
















my dog got hold of a blue pen the other day. perhaps he's begun his blue period, like picasso...


Wednesday, July 05, 2006

i have to keep a daily journal for indonesian class. this week has been rough. we jumped from chapter three to chapter five, plus a national holiday in the middle of it increased our forgetfulness - we have all been feeling a little discouraged. for the next few weeks i am going to include my indonesian journal entries in both indo and english. enjoy.

July 3rd
Last nite I didn't sleep - a dog was barking in the house next store from 1 to 5am. Then today in class I didnt know any Indonesian. My words came slowly and they were not too good. I am losing this game.
















But - I am not finished.
















I will study a lot














and go to Indonesia and I will interview puppeteers and I will ask my questions and the interviewees will say "You speak Indonesian very well!" And I will say "Thank you sir."




























3 Juli
Kemarin malam tidak tidur saya - di rumah dekat saya angin mengonggong dari jam satu sampai jam lima. Lalu hari ini di kelas tidak saya tahu bahasa Indonesia. Kata saya datang pelan-pelan dan mereka kurang baik. Saya kalah ini pertandingan.
Tapi - saya belum sudah.
Saya belajar banyak dan pergi ke Indonesia dan saya akan wawancara dhalang-dhalang dan saya akan bertanyaan saya Pertanyaan dan di orang diwawancaraiakan kata "Bisa berberhasa Indonesia bagus anda!" Dan saya akan kata "Terima Kasih Pak."

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Recently I went to see my friend Matthew and his family. They live in Oregon, Wisconsin, about 20 mintues outside of Madison.












Oregon, WI reminds me of where my parents live, a little town called Mechanicsville, maybe 20 minutes north of Richmond, Virginia. Matt's directions to Oregon read as follows:
"Get on Park St. heading south (away from campus)
You'll eventually pass under the highway (we call it the beltine)- Park St. will turn into Hwy 14.
Drive for 10 minutes or so until you come to the Oregon exit. Take a right at the end of the off ramp.
Head into town - you'll pass the McDonald's, a cemetary, the grocery, eventually coming into a residential area.
















You will come to our quaint downtown (it's small) and the road will fork. Head to the left (Janesville Rd.)
Ours is the street on the right - Turn Right.
We are the house on the left. You'll see the for sale sign in the lawn."

Sometimes when i see places for the first time i say "oh, it looks like (insert the name of a place I've seen before)".
Do all places look like places we've seen before? What if we see more places, then go back to the places that we used to think we knew what they looked like - do they still look like those first places we referenced, or do they now look different?